Hype

I've wanted to review Hype energy drink for quite some time, but I could never seem to locate a can. The closest I got was a can of Hype MFP through a trade, but I was less than impressed. But apparently word got around about my negative words because about a week or so ago I received an email from Hype. They commented on my negative review of MFP, and offered to send me the rest of the line for review. Since I still had hope that the line only had one mediocre variety, I agreed and today I had the entire Hype line at my doorstep. Since I've heard only good+ things about it, I've chosen Hype original to review first.

FIRST IMPRESSION: Hype classics can reminds me of the Jolt line; minimal text, large logo, a scarce pattern, and about as much appeal. First, the logo is too large, especially since the can's a rather small eight oz. Hype also comes in a sixteen oz. can, and though really only the colour scheme is swapped, the can looks much more attractive. Speaking of colour scheme, Hype's can is mostly silver, a common colour for sugar free energy drinks. This could cause some to think Hype's low calorie, when it really contains 110 of them. Hype should really look to drinks like Boo Koo Citrus on how to successfully create a clean yet alluring can.

TASTE: I opened the can and took a sip. The flavour starts out a tart cranberry, heavily muffled by an underlying bubble gum taste. Then, a short spike of earthly bitterness, almost tea-like, erupts and quickly dies as an emerging lime appears. The lime is initially alone, but it's soon joined by a mild vanilla. The lime is rather natural tasting, where as the vanilla is gummy, which while diverse, adds complexity. Hype ends with subtle cranberry and blueberry braid, which is the only aftertaste. Overall, I'm impressed with Hype's taste. It's familiar but does enough things different to make for an interesting and unique flavour.

KICK: Each can contains: Taurine, ginseng, guarana, eighty milligrams of caffeine, Vit. B12, Inositol, folic acid, niacin, ascorbic acid, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, Vit. B6, and thiamin mononitrate. This cocktail of ingredients gave me a less than typical buzz, but with it's small size, it's to be expected. I felt fairly energized about thirty minutes after I finished the can, and I stayed this way for around two hours. It didn't end in a crash nor was it filled with jitters.

FINAL WORD: Hype was a visual and power disaster, but since the larger, better looking version is available on store shelves, those factors can be overlooked, as the taste is really the selling point. But since eight oz. cans are as obsolete as VHS tapes, it begs the question why Hype is still made this small. If an energy drink is eight oz., it's likely to have a weaker kick, and cost more per oz. than a sixteen oz. energy drink. Still, I enjoyed the taste of Hype, but unless I saw it in a sixteen oz. can, I wouldn't really consider spending the money on it...3.4/5

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